Sound-reproducing machine.



D. L. SUITER.

' SOUND REPRODUCING NILI'HIJI.` APPLmATioN FILED ocT. 24. 191e.

l @m 56 Patented Ap?. 23, 1918.

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SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE.

APPucATloN FILED ocT. 24, 191s.

Patented Apr. 23, v1918.

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DAVID L. SUI'JLJER, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SUlil'D-REPRODUCING MACHINE.

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To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that l, DAVID L. SUrrnn, a the United States, residing at Ulney, Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have in- E vented certain new and useful Improvements ioI in Sound-Reproducing'Machines of which the following is a specification. l

My invention relates to improvements in sound reproducing machines, an objeet-of f the invention being to provide improved means for modifying or restraining the `sound waves during the operation of the deivice so as to bring out the desired expres-` sion, andfto control the volume of sound by imanually yoperated means Without interferling with the ordinary functions of the de- 1, ling' device vice.

liferetoforfal various attempts have been made to control the volume of sound, but I believe such devices have been defective, largely, because of the fact that the control'- or damper is located too far away from the diaphragm so that the sound backwardly, causing a 4 confusion of sound and therefore interfering 1 'rather than aiding'in the' properlreproducy rangementsof parts as will be more fully v trating amodication in which the damper.

tion. d .y

'With my improvements,` l' locate the dampery as close to the diaphragm as possible so ,that the control of the 'sound Waves is had before any appreciable volume ofair is in motion toward the outlet. f v

A further ob'ect is toprovide an improved construction o damper or valve Which can be readily operated to perform the functions for which it is intended. f

W ith these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arhereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

-lln the accompanying drawings:

lFigure 1 is a top plan view illustrating a, preferred form of my invention. y

yFig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section, partly in elevation showing my improved damper located in a coupling connecting the sound box with the sound tube.

Fig. 3 is a vievvl in longitudinal section taken at right angles to Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 1s a View similar to LF ig. 3 illus- Specification of Letters Patent.

.damper nary construction in through coupling 6, and

raient-ea aan as, raie.

Application tiled October 24, 1916. Serial No. 127,393.

is in the sound tube pensed with.

Fig. 5 is a view in longitudinal section illustrating a modification in which the is located entirely in the sound box.

141g. G is a view in section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view in section illus trating the butter-Hy valve or damper shown in Fig'. 2.

1 represents a tone-arm pivotally sup ported at one end in a collar 2 and at its free end provided with asleeve Brin 'which a sound tube 4 has rotary mounting, and 5 is the sound box supported at the free end of the tube 4.

The parts above described are the ordigeneral use, and need not be describedpin detail.

6 represents a coupling which is of tubular form and of two diameters. The smaller end 7 of the coupling 6 projects into the sound box 8, Whileythe larger end 8 lits around the outside/of the tube 4 and is preferably provided with a rubber or other non-conducting gasket 9. A butter-fiy valve 10 is secured on a shaft 1l which projects spring l2 on the outer end of 'theshaft normally holds the valve in open posit-ion with a crank arm 1B on the end ofthe shaft against the stop 14 on the outside of the coupling.

y The valve A'10 is provided at its periphery with a coating or covering of soft material 15, preferably Babbitt-metal Which may be anchored to the valve in various Ways.

I have shown the valve as provided with a groove 16 into which the Babbitt-metal is anchored. I may resort to 'other means for anchoring the Babbitt-metal.

A flexible device 17 which may constitute a cord, Wire, or other device is secured at one end to the crank arm 13 and is passed through a guide 18 at the center or axis oi' the pivotal connection 2 of tonearrn l so that when the flexible device is pulled the valve 10 will be turned without exerting any pressure on the tone-arm or on the other Working parts to effect the playing of the instrument, hence the control of the valve can be had atall positions of the sound box on the record with equally efficient results.

The dexible device 17 is passed through a guide 19 on the end of the tube 4l, where and the coupling is dis dii . form, and

it connects with the tone-arm 1, so as to prevent any tendency to elevate the sound box whenthe exible device is pulled.

It is of course, to be understood that the flexible device may be operated from a distance, and I may utilize various forms of attachment and connections for the purpose.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the Valve 10 is located in 4the sound tube 4 and the coupling is dispensed with, but in other respects the construction is the same as in the preferred form. V

InFigs. 5 and G, I illustrate a modification in which the valve or damper 20 is located inside ofl sound box 21. This valve- 20 is springheld in open position and is provided with a curved arm 22 to which a cord 23 is connected so that when the cord is pulled the valve or damper is moved across, or partially across, an'opening 24 to control the sound waves. y As4 my improved device operates as a damper to hold back the sound waves and reduce or soften the tone I shall hereinafter refer to the controlling evice as a damper, and I would have it understood that while I'have illustrated various forms of damper, I do .not limit .myself in this respect but mayfutilize any form which is capable of the functions intended.

I believe, however, that a butter-Hy valve of the construction lshown is a preferable I believe it -is advisable to locate the butterlfiy valve as close to the diaphragm as practicable. Various slight changes may the general form and arrangements of parts described without departing from my 1nl vention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise detailsset forth, but consider myse f at libert to make such changes and alterations as airly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having fully described my invention, what I cla-iml as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sound reproducing machine, combe made in.

prising a pivoted tone arm having a guido.

on its upper face in line with the axis about which it is pivoted, a sound box carried-by the tone arm, a damper located in the sound passage, and' a iiexible device outside of the tone arm and box, said device adapted to operate the damper and supported in said guide.

2. A sound reproducing machine, comprising a tone-armpivoted at one end, a sound tube connected to the other end of the tone-arm, a sound box carried by the tube, a damper located in proximity to the sound box, a guide in liuc with the axis about which the tone-arm is pivoted, and a ilexible device outside of the tone arm and passing through said guide and connected to the damper.

3. A sound reproducing machine, comprising a pivoted tonc-arm, a sound tube having rotary mounting at the free end of the tone-arm, a sound box carried by the tube, a damper in the sound passage adjacent the diaphragm of the sound box, a flexible operating device connected to the damper, and guides for lsaid flexible device in line with the axis about which the tonearm is pivoted and with the axis about which the sound box turns, respectively.

4. A soundreproducng machine, comprising a pivoted tone-arm, a sound tube connected to the tone-arm, a sound b ox, a coupling connecting the sound box `and the tube, a butter-fly valve in the coupling, a crank-shaft secured to the valve and having a crank arm outside the coupling, and a flexible connecting device connected to thearm and having a guide in line with the axis about which the tone-arm is pivoted.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing'witnesses.

, DAVID L. surrna.

Witnesses: .v

ELEANOR F. MURRAY, u WILLIAM CONWAY;

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